SummerQAmp: Calling for "Champions"

The new year is underway, and with that, the plan to make SummerQAmp into a bigger and better opportunity, is likewise underway. I’m exploring a number of new topics, and with that, we have a strategy and a body of knowledge that we want to develop. With this, I want to encourage everyone out there who is interested to come join us and help shape the discussion and the content that will be presented.

We have a number of topics and topic areas that could be built up and developed. The discussion is happening over at the AST Forums. You do not have to be an AST member to participate in the forums, but you do have to be registered with the forums to post there. This serves a couple of purposes, the most important one being “if you contribute, you will get credit”. Your being part of the discussion and contributing to the overall text, exercises or activities that we hope to make into the core curriculum can and will have your name on it, if you so choose to participate.

So what does it take? It’s simple. Make an account if you don’t already have one, then pick a topic in the EdSig section (EdSig is Education Special Interest Group). Most of the topics in that group right now are related to the SummerQAmp initiative. To get started, check out the post Kevin Haggard made a few days ago which spells out the road map that we are intending to follow. Do you think the topic list is good? Are we putting our energies in the right places? Do you think we’re missing something important? Is there something that you, as a fledgling tester years back (or hey, maybe even here and now) wish you knew and had someone tell you, encourage you, or warn you about? Well, here’s your chance to contribute to exactly that!

One thing to be aware of, this is a compressed schedule this year. We have a hard deadline for materials we will be presenting, and that deadline is March 1st. We need to be ready to go with what we have at that point, so if you want to take part, you need to get in and stake a claim to topics or propose new ones.

To all who have already put their time, talents and energies towards this initiative, thank you. To those who still want to do so, hey, come join us and help us make the best and most relevant software testing training possible!